A7 II or A7 + $400?

A7 II or A7 + $400?

  • A7 + $400

    Votes: 34 28.1%

  • A7 II

    Votes: 87 71.9%
  • Total voters
    121
M

meeker

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So, given that they're discount the A7 $400-, which would you go for, if buying now? Are the in-body IS and the other tweaks worth the extra?
 
If I had the cash for the II, the II... if not, the A7. It really depends on if the 5 axis IS will be useful to you or not.
 
Do you shoot in a style that would make you want IS with every lens?

Personally, IS annoys me. I don't like the "slightly less than blurry" look that happens with both body and lens IS. IS is also less useful with moving objects, which is (at least for me) the primary reason for high ISO in the first place.

I'd take a dedicated high iso body (A7S) or a really fast lens (55mm f1.2?) over IBIS any day. But you may use your camera in a way that makes the feature genuinely useful.
 
gdmcclintock said:
Are these cameras that much better than the Canon EOS 5D II?
Click to expand...

IQ is much better, *almost* night and day. Focus is on par but has wider coverage (PDAF coverage slightly larger, CDAF better & across entire sensor). FPS is on par (but of course being RFF nobody cares about burst rates). Handling is about on par, depending on your hand size and shooting habits. Video is better on the A7 unless you go Magic Lantern with the 5dII. Although being a SD card body, A7 actually has bigger buffer and faster potential write speeds (being six years younger helps...).

The 5dII has a stronger body, better flash support, better battery life. But that's about it. The A7 can take any lens the 5dII can take (and AF with most of them).

I think EVF are better than OVFs, in that they can display highlight blowout notices and semi-accurate indication of exposure and white balance. But each to his own.
 
Voted for the IBIS option.

I have found (at least for myself) that IS is enormously beneficial. So much so, that I would not consider purchasing a current technology camera or lens without it.
 
meeker said:
So, given that they're discount the A7 $400-, which would you go for, if buying now? Are the in-body IS and the other tweaks worth the extra?
Click to expand...

It will be hard to evaluate entirely until the A7II is more readily available such that I can obtain one to test. The three things that might motivate me to upgrade to it from my A7 are (1) the improved grip and shutter release, (2) the all-metal lens mount, and (3) the IBIS system.

#2 is a plus no matter what but can be achieved for $40 with a flange replacement.

#1 looks good, will likely be great. Can't get that any other way.

#3 looks good depending upon how effective it proves to be and whether your photography can benefit from it. If good, then the $400 price difference is worth it.

G
 
Ibis is going to help the most w/ long lenses. I use the Olympus em5 w/ tele zooms for my wildlife shooting. As I have gotten older, I have found that I just can't hold as steady as I used to. When I was young, I could use a 100-300mm Nikon zoom at 300 at 1/125 and still get the shot, now it is more like 1/500 and I better have some form of IS.

To me the jury is out on how good the Sony implementation will be. Once the a7mk2 actually starts shipping in US, what a7 inventory is left, may end up being sold off at lower price...but then again, will there be any inventory left. The used market will definitely be lower.

Gary
 
GaryLH said:
Ibis is going to help the most w/ long lenses.
Gary
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This is where stabilization becomes important to me; however, when I need to shoot long lenses, I typically set aside my A7R in favor of my DSLR, so for me Ibis in and of itself is not something that would make me purchase an A7 type of body.
 
GaryLH said:
Ibis is going to help the most w/ long lenses. I use the Olympus em5 w/ tele zooms for my wildlife shooting. As I have gotten older, I have found that I just can't hold as steady as I used to. When I was young, I could use a 100-300mm Nikon zoom at 300 at 1/125 and still get the shot, now it is more like 1/500 and I better have some form of IS.

To me the jury is out on how good the Sony implementation will be. Once the a7mk2 actually starts shipping in US, what a7 inventory is left, may end up being sold off at lower price...but then again, will there be any inventory left. The used market will definitely be lower.

Gary
Click to expand...

Isn't Sony keeping the A7 in production as an entry-level model, just like the older RX100s?

At least that's what I've heard...
 
If IBIS will aid your photography then nothing elses will replace it.

If you use a tripod often I would say pass and spend the money saved on lenses.
I have IS in a couple AF lenses (Fuji) and have been very pleasantly surprised with how much it benifits my keepers.
Subjects will still move too much for slow speeds but I can keep the scene looking steady which often gives a fighting chance of getting the shot.

A nice still static scene using 1/25 of sec when at 100mm is pretty damn impressive.
If that sounds useful I would get the IBIS model and not look back.
 
meeker said:
So, given that they're discount the A7 $400-, which would you go for, if buying now? Are the in-body IS and the other tweaks worth the extra?
Click to expand...

I grew to hate the a7, my hopes are on the 7II. Basically I would want a NEX-7 with a full frame sensor, please.
 
>2-1 in favor of the II so far. With my film M camera, I often find myself at f2 1/30 (trix shot at iso 320) and sometimes could do with more speed or longer exposure. Not sure if I'd be relying more on extending the exposure time and relying on IBIS to get to, say 1/10, or simply upping the iso. I don't tend to switch gear often, so I'm leaning towards spending the extra to get the newer model.
 
anybody who can't wait to get their fingers on the new A7II, do not buy from Japan! ( unless you can read Japanese ) Japanese Sony cameras come in Japanese only and nobody yet ever has reported success in hacking one to get it to English
 
I'd probably get a used A7, there will be people trading in for a A7 II, so an opportunity to buy cheaply. Depreciation can be extreme on some devices, so take advantage of that, and get a bargain.
 
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